Chapter Six
Carter
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Hudson sat at the kitchen table with his hands folded in front of him. “That was not exactly the introduction to the family that I wanted you to have.”
Carter pulled the cubed steak he had marinating from the fridge for the chicken-fried steak before turning to face his brother.
Hudson was not hiding his anxiety very well.
After returning home, Carter had gotten the puppies settled before throwing himself into preparing dinner for later. He even baked the chocolate cake from scratch, just to give himself something to do.
Aaron had driven Carter back to the house before leaving to go to his office to meet with Leo and Bas. Carter had wanted to ask Aaron to stay with him, but he’d chickened out in the last second. At least, Aaron had looked reluctant to leave him as well.
Hudson had still been putting out the fire when Carter had been taken home.
His brother had showered before coming home, finding Carter deep into preparing for dinner.
And Hudson had agreed to stay at Bas’s cabin for the night.
It hadn’t been hard to convince Hudson, as he wanted to check in with his new friends anyway.
And EJ, who had apparently been camping in the state park before being taken to the main house.
“Carter?” Hudson said again.
“I’m processing,” Carter replied. It was one thing to hear about the paranormal world or even being in a dream, but seeing everything unfold before him was a whole new level of crazy. That wasn’t even adding in the fact that he’d watched the hyenas being taken to hell.
“At least we’re safe now,” Hudson said.
“I know. And I am grateful for that,” Carter replied. “I just can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I didn’t know about the paranormal world. Or how much I missed in the past because I didn’t know.”
Hudson shrugged. “I went through that. Wondering what was so obviously in front of my face that I missed because I didn’t know about this whole world.”
“Do you regret finding out?” Carter questioned softly. “If you hadn’t spotted Bas in that tree, you could be living your life without knowing any better.”
His brother was already shaking his head before Carter got done asking his question.
“You’re that sure about all of this?” Carter didn’t mean to sound pushy. He was genuinely curious.
“I wouldn’t have Bas,” Hudson said. “That’s what it would come down to. And I know you still don’t believe me, but I know in my heart that Bas is my forever. Mates isn’t just a word to them. It’s everything.”
“Mates,” Carter repeated.
“You and Aaron haven’t talked about what that means?” Hudson asked the question while looking everywhere but at Carter.
“What you really want to know is if Aaron has told me that I’m his mate,” Carter stated.
Hudson perked up. “He did? Oh! I’m so relieved. Bas was worried that Aaron would put it off until it was too late.”
“He didn’t tell me,” Carter revealed.
“But—” Hudson’s eyes grew huge. “You tricked me!”
“I really didn’t.”
Hudson huffed. “Aaron is supposed to explain it to you. Don’t think you don’t have a choice! You totally do. The fates put the two of you together because you’re a perfect match, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be forced into it. Or can’t take your time.”
“I figure Aaron will tell me when he’s ready,” Carter said.
Hudson looked away.
“What?” Carter questioned.
“Aaron…I mean, I don’t know him that well.”
“And still you want to say something,” Carter responded.
“From the little that Bas has told me about his past, I know that Aaron didn’t have the easiest time. He was bullied by both the other kids and the instructors.”
“I get the same feeling,” Carter agreed.
“Well,” Hudson drawled. “From what he pretends to be jokes, I worry that Aaron thinks he’s broken or something.”
“Broken? What do you mean?” Carter demanded. Aaron was perfect. The perfect mix of sweet and mysterious.
“Of course you think that.” Hudson rolled his eyes. “Mates, remember?”
Carter chucked at his brother’s sass.
“What I’m saying is that Aaron isn’t like the other paranormals. He was raised around shifters, and instead of being like them, he has this power that no one knows anything about,” Hudson shared.
“He’s said several times that he has no control over his dreams or visions,” Carter said.
“It’s gotten worse since he moved here too. More often. Dean gave him some magical amulets to help and Bas thought they were working until recently.”
“What changed?” Carter asked. And how could he help.
“I don’t know. All the magic stuff is confusing. I’m glad my mate’s a shifter. It’s easier to understand.”
“Is it?” Here they were hanging out in their very simple kitchen, making dinner while talking about the paranormal world. How was any of this easy to understand?
“Bas is filled with magic that allows him to shift into the cutest cat ever,” Hudson said with a grin. “Easy.”
“And Aaron is an oracle,” Carter replied.
“Which no one knows anything about. Not even mages like Dean. Everyone tries to help him they best they can.”
“Everyone? Like Leo?” Carter’s words came out in a growl.
“Um.” Hudson rubbed the back of his neck. “You see…I mean…I don’t know…”
“They were lovers?” Carter pressed.
“Yes?”
“Why does that sound like a question and not an answer?” Carter was dying to know more about Aaron and Leo’s relationship. The way that Aaron talked about Leo bothered Carter even though Carter didn’t have any real claim to Aaron.
“Have you asked Aaron?”
“I’m asking you,” Carter said. He already had his answer.
“I really think you should talk to Aaron about this. I do know that there is absolutely nothing going on between the two of them now,” Hudson said.
Carter hummed and went back to prepping the dinner. Hudson wasn’t wrong. This was a conversation that Carter needed to have with Aaron. He just couldn’t help but wonder if the reason that Aaron hadn’t mentioned anything about mates to him was because Aaron was in love with another man.
How much would it suck that Carter was introduced into this whole new world only to find out that he was fated to someone that he would never have? Surely not all fated mates ended up together, especially if one of them was already in a relationship. What would they even do.
“Carter?”
He glanced up, realizing that he’d gotten caught up in his thoughts.
“You like Aaron, don’t you?” Hudson asked.
“I do,” Carter confessed. “I already thought he was good-looking before I knew who he was. And I like how sweet he is. How he cares so much about the pups.”
“You snagged a boyfriend by adopting three dogs,” Hudson joked.
Carter shrugged. “I guess it’s a good thing that you and Bas decided to move in here. Plenty of people to help me train them.”
Hudson nodded. “When I found Bas in the tree, you know, when I thought he was actually a cat, I was thinking about keeping him. Of having a pet.”
“I know.” Hudson had been quite obvious about that.
Hudson laughed. “I’m glad I got both my mate and my cat.”
“Me too,” Carter replied sincerely. “Bas will be fine with staying at the cabin tonight?”
“Sure,” Hudson said. “He’s pretty easygoing. Plus, EJ is hanging out, and I want to check on him. I’m not sure what they told him when they dragged him out of his camping spot.”
“He doesn’t know?” Carter hadn’t been sure.
“No, they don’t really tell anyone that’s not connected by a mating.”
“You planned to tell me?” Hudson had said that before.
“Bas said I could. Well, tell you about him. It kind of all got mixed up when we realized that you were Aaron’s mate. Now you can know about all of them.” The excitement in Hudson’s voice had Carter smiling back.
Hudson’s phone chimed at the same time that Carter’s vibrated from his pocket.
“Bas and Aaron are leaving the office,” Hudson told him as he typed on his phone.
Carter nodded. He and Aaron had a lot to talk about. Hopefully the food would put Aaron in a good enough mood for Carter to coax Aaron into answering the questions that Carter had.
* * * * *
Aaron
“Headed to Carter and Hudson’s?” Bas asked as he locked the office door.
“Yeah, Carter promised me dinner.”
Hudson and I are staying at the cabin tonight.” Bas waggled his eyebrows. “So you’ll have the place to yourselves.”
Aaron snorted. “Just us and three puppies.”
“Don’t puppies sleep like all the time? I’m sure that you and Carter will have plenty of time to…connect.”
Aaron started down the steps when Bas caught his arm. He turned.
“Are you going to talk to your mate tonight?” Bas asked quietly.
“I…” Aaron sighed. “What’s the point?”
Bas pulled Aaron closer before frowning down at him. “The point is that Carter is perfect for you. He’s your fated mate. You can trust him with all the crazy thoughts running through your head.”
“How do you know I have crazy thoughts in my head?” Aaron grumbled.
“Because I know you.” Bastian clamped both hands on Aaron’s shoulders, holding him in place. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Carter is lucky to have you as a mate. Don’t mess things up just because you’re scared.”
“He could do so much better than me,” Aaron whispered.
Growling, Bas shook Aaron. “You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Act like you’re not an amazing person. You are.
I would have been lost without you growing up.
I was so angry. It was you that pulled me in and made me your friend.
Same with what you did for Leo. We would have lost him a long time ago to the devastation of losing Gavin and his family.
It was his need to protect you that he fought so hard to come back from the darkness.
You are the glue that holds us together,” Bas claimed.
“It’s always everyone protecting me,” Aaron said. “Just like today. I couldn’t protect Carter. I needed you and the family.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that!” Bas practically shouted. He winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s just bullshit. You gave us the warning we needed. Who cares if you can’t shift like the rest of us.”